


Trust is Earned

by fallenrose24



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Genre: Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-08 18:43:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13464270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenrose24/pseuds/fallenrose24
Summary: (Pre-canon) Not long after Mὸrag resonates with Brighid, an encounter makes them realize their connection has a long way to go.





	Trust is Earned

**Author's Note:**

> Just messing around with a little bit of pre-canon stuff. This is too early in their relationship to really have any romantic implications. I think that marks a first for me. Gasp! Rated T for language! Double gasp!

The breeze sent a shiver down her spine. Mὸrag found herself instinctively moving closer to Brighid, soaking up the warmth she emanated. It had been a long night. After dinner, they had returned to the training ground. Mὸrag had been insistent that they practice executing Arts until she at least felt comfortable controlling the ether flow for one of them. Brighid had tried to placate her with a reminder that they had only resonated a month ago, but the Ardainian was too stubborn and determined to be dissuaded.

After her fingers were singed for a third time, Brighid called an end to it and had yanked the whip swords from Mὸrag’s hands. Without a word passing between them, they made their way to Grian Wing and looked out over Alba Cavanich. It had become almost a ritual for them. Whenever their ether connection was starting to clog with frustration and doubt, the pair would stop and take a moment to breathe in the city view. The sounds of the sleeping capitol and the low growl of their moving Titan brought a sense of calm over both of them.

When Brighid was satisfied with the slowed and steady beat of her Driver’s heart, she touched the young woman’s shoulder. That was her signal. More often than not, Mὸrag would remain standing for a few extra minutes before finally giving in to the cold and exhaustion that was calling her to retreat.

The moment they stepped foot in the residential area of the Palace, Brighid stopped. Her heart stung slightly and her hidden gaze shifted rapidly over the empty corridors. A few paces later, Mὸrag realized the familiar click of her Blade’s heels were missing.

“Brighid, are you-“

“Shh!”

The Ardainian walked up to her and lowered her voice to the faintest of whispers. “What is it?”

A glowing hand gripped her arm tightly, a sizzle sounding against the fire-resistant wrapping covering her skin. “Something’s not right.”

Mὸrag’s brow furrowed and she quickly reached forward and drew her weapons from the holsters on Brighid’s hips. With the whips secured in each hand, she took a calming breath and nodded to the woman before her.

“Lead the way.”

They crept carefully through the corridor on their right and it was clear almost immediately that something had gone terribly wrong. Where were the guards? There were usually several stationed along each archway, but so far, they had encountered none. Just as Mὸrag was about to turn a corner, Brighid gripped the front of her sleeveless tunic and pulled her back.

“Six guards on the floor.” Mὸrag strained to hear Brighid’s words, thankful that her keen eyes could pick up details from their obscured vantage point.

“Anyone else?”

The Blade shook her head.

“Alright, then let’s keep moving.”

They approached the felled soldiers with silent steps. Mὸrag knelt down and touched two fingers to the neck of one of them. No pulse. She solemnly shook her head at Brighid, answering the unspoken question. Quickly, she confirmed that none of the men had survived and joined Brighid at the other end of the hall. Her Blade’s brow was pinched in concentration and a hand was raised, warning Mὸrag to stay back.

The direction Brighid was looking… that’s where…

Harsh whispers rang out.

“Too easy. These royal imbeciles are a cocky lot. Who trained these morons?”

“Just shut-up and keep working. We didn’t get this far for you to screw up unlocking a bloody door!”

“Keep your pants on, mate. I’ve almost got it. That little bastard sleeps like a rock, anyway.”

Mὸrag’s blood ran cold.

 _Click_.

“Finally. Not so fast, you arsehole! Nice and slow, then I’ll slit the little shit’s throat and we get the bloody Hell outta here.”

Mὸrag’s rage ignited.

She lunged forward, easily breaking free from Brighid’s desperate attempt to hold her back. With a flick of her wrist, she extended both whips and thrust them forward. Her heavy foot falls altered the two men and they quickly backed away from the assault. The whips smacked violently against the door and retracted. Mὸrag stood her ground, knuckles white as she gripped her weapons with a vengeful force. These bastards were in uniform… they were soldiers…

“Back away if you value your life.”

The lock pick laughed. “Look at this, mate! She saved us quite a bit of trouble.”

Both men unsheathed their swords. “Two for the price of one!”

They rushed her.

Mὸrag’s arms rose, her twin whips parrying their weapons, but they were unrelenting. Their onslaught forced her to step back and she knew they were slowly backing her into a corner. Where was Brighid? Why weren’t her flames filling the whip swords?

_Please, Brighid…_

She slashed forward as one of the men came down with an overhead strike. The whip extended and ignited. The fire was furious enough to throw him back, but Mὸrag struggled to control the flames. They raced up her arms, burning through the resistant bandages and pulling a scream from her lungs.

She dropped her weapons and they were on her.

A sword pierced through her shoulder, pinning her against the wall. Her scream was silent… and desperate.

The burned traitor pulled a knife from his waist and made a move toward her with a sickening grin stretching his lips. He took two steps and that was all. A wall of flame rushed through the hall and they were both engulfed, their screams ringing throughout the Palace before they hit the ground. Mὸrag turned her head and locked eyes with Brighid over the blade that had been dug into her flesh. A thankful smile tugged on her lips just as her knees buckled.

Brighid darted forward and caught her Driver by the waist. With her free hand, she reached for the hilt of the sword buried in Mὸrag’s shoulder and pulled it out quickly. She ignored the woman’s cry of pain as she quickly lowered her to the floor and placed her burning hands over the wound. Blood poured between her fingers. With a few calming breaths, she slowly opened her eyes and funneled as much burning ether she could control into her hands. Mὸrag’s screams of agony shattered her heart, but the bleeding had to be stopped.

After only a few seconds, she shut her eyes and pulled back. Mὸrag’s skin was charred, but the wound was closed. The Ardainian lifted a shaking hand and placed it against Brighid’s face. They sat like that for just a few moments, neither able to articulate what had just happened, before a door opened.

“Mὸrag!” Niall rushed to his sister’s side. “W-what happened?”

Brighid placed a warm hand on the successor’s back. “She’s alright, but we should get her to the infirmary. Can you run ahead and get help?”

Wide blue eyes looked up at the Blade just briefly before they narrowed with determination. “Of course. Hold on, Mὸrag! I’ll be right back, I promise!”

Brighid gripped her Driver’s trembling hand as she watched the young boy scurry away.

\---

She kept a silent vigil outside the room, watching as Mὸrag rested peacefully with her brother at her bedside. Heavy footfalls sounded behind her and she knew instantly who was making their way toward her. The Emperor paused in the doorway without acknowledging her, his eyes focused on the young woman on the bed.

“I’ve been told it was a pair of soldiers who did this…” His voice was laced with steel.

“Yes, Your Majesty. They’re being treated for their burns in the prison hold. They’ll survive, though they’ll be disfigured at best.”

The Emperor bit back a smile. “Your power is formidable, Lady Brighid.”

“Not tonight.” Her brow furrowed. “Tonight, it wasn’t good enough.”

“How did this happen?”

The Blade sighed. “I’m afraid your guess is as good as mine, at the moment, Your Majesty. They could very well have been two of the guards given night watch duty in the Royal suites. Mὸrag and I encountered a group of felled soldiers and overheard the traitors trying to pick the lock to His Highness’ room.”

“She couldn’t defend herself against them, even with your might?”

Brighid bit her lip as she gazed at Mὸrag’s face. “I hesitated. I had already burned her while we were training after dinner. I didn’t… I thought I would harm her again if I tried funneling ether into her weapons. It was foolish of me. She rushed in without any care for her own safety and I left her unguarded. When I saw she was failing to fight them off, I tried to jump in, but her fear made it impossible for the flames to be controlled.”

The Emperor’s eyes were wide. “She rushed to fend them off… without you?”

“Indeed.” A soft smile graced her lips. “Your daughter has a brave heart, Your Majesty.”

“That she does…” He turned his gaze to the Blade. “You should go in. I’m sure your presence will be healing for her.”

Brighid nodded and did as she was told.

The Emperor remained in the doorway and looked on as his son and the Jewel of the Empire each held a hand of his treasured niece-turned-daughter. Mὸrag always seemed to find new ways to surprise him. What she had done tonight… the way she had blindly jumped to protect her brother… it made his ailing heart beat with renewed strength. He knew his time was short. It wouldn’t be long before his son took the throne a decade or so too soon, but with Mὸrag and Brighid beside him, perhaps the Empire would still stand tall.

A smile stretched across his face. He had found a candidate for Niall’s Special Inquisitor, after all.

\---

Two days after the incident, Brighid made her way to the Imperial Guard training ground on a hunt for her stubborn Driver. Not unexpectedly, she found Mὸrag in a black sleeveless tunic, arms wrapped, and weapons drawn. She slashed the swords against a practice dummy, her arms arching as she extended and retracted the whips between attacks. Stubborn indeed.

“You shouldn’t be up.”

Mὸrag stumbled as she startled at the intruding voice.

“Last I checked, you were meant to be resting.”

“There’s no time for that.” The Ardainian huffed. “I’ve rested long enough as it is.”

“What has you so worried? Those men are still behind bars, Mὸrag.”

“They were soldiers, Brighid.” Her teeth ground tightly. “Those men entered our ranks, were promoted to the Palace guard, and then turned on their nation. You can’t tell me you honestly think they’re the only ones who have infiltrated our military.”

The fire Blade sighed. She knew Mὸrag was right, but still… her Driver had been impaled and then subjected to her rather brutal cautery technique. She needed time to heal.

“You think you can stop them?”

Mὸrag averted her gaze. “Not without you, Brighid. That has been made abundantly clear to me.”

“Mὸrag, you know I’m sorry for not-“

“No. You hesitated for a reason.” Amber eyes met her hidden gaze, filled with determination. “You don’t trust me yet. I understand. I need to earn that trust and I will, I swear to you.”

Brighid strode forward and wrapped her burning hands gently around the young woman’s wrists. “You are quite foolish, Lady Mὸrag.”

The Ardainian huffed in defiance.

“But you are also remarkably brave and selfless.”

“So, will you help me?”

“You will never be without me in battle again. I will protect you with my life.”

Mὸrag smiled and took a deep breath as she felt the ether connection between them ignite. The warmth spilled over her body and burned hotter as the retracted whips ignited. She tossed the blade in her left hand to Brighid and cracked hers open with a dramatic flair. They spent hours reading each other’s movements and parrying attacks. Eventually, the burns on Mὸrag’s arms stopped stinging.

Their bond was still fresh and untamed, but as the fire Blade looked on at the woman who had brought her into the world, she could feel her heart swell. She knew without a doubt, as this woman’s Blade, she would bear witness to something quite extraordinary... if she hadn’t already.

**Author's Note:**

> Not really sure what the point of this one was lol! Hopefully it didn't seem too random.


End file.
